title: Helicobacter pylori infection: selected aspects in clinical management.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This review focuses on new aspects of recently published guidelines for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection as well as progress in diagnostic tests and treatment regimens. We also discuss new strategies for gastric cancer prevention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The general recommendation to treat H. pylori infection whenever diagnosed still faces resistance for reasons that are pertinent to the diversity of related clinical outcomes and to the complexity of eradication regimens. Thus, new updated guidelines for the management of H. pylori infection have been released in several continents. Progress has been made in molecular diagnostic tests for the detection of antibiotic resistance and serological tests for the detection of advanced gastric atrophic changes. Effective quadruple therapies in various combinations of 'traditional drugs' have been introduced with sequential or concomitant order of administration. Moreover, traditional drugs in a new galenic formulation have been introduced to overcome increasing H. pylori antibiotic resistance. Effective strategies for gastric cancer prevention have been adopted in some countries with high gastric cancer incidence, and have successfully contributed to lower the gastric cancer incidence. A screen-and-treat strategy for individuals at increased risk for gastric cancer needs to be further explored also in areas with low/moderate incidence of gastric cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New guidelines share many universal similarities across countries but respect and emphasize specific needs and requirements in individual communities. Various combinations of traditional drugs have been successfully introduced to overcome the increasing H. pylori antibiotic resistance. Gastric cancer prevention by a screen and treat strategy showed promising results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Otto-von-Guericke University Hospital, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malfertheiner
authors.forename: Marino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venerito
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selgrad
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents